


friends

by orphan_account



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Fluffy, Humor, M/M, and tons of sarcasm, rated for language, unintentionally domestic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-07
Updated: 2017-12-12
Packaged: 2019-02-08 19:06:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12871077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Friends don't sleep on the same bed (unless you have Seokmin as a friend, in which case it's a maybe). Mingyu and Minghao aren't even friends, so why?Alternatively, Minghao loses his job and home over a heroic act and Mingyu takes him in. Definitely not as a friend and definitely not as anything more. That's the plan, at least. And we all know not everything goes according to plan.





	1. He Moves In

**Author's Note:**

> if you haven't listened to [friends](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Myaod6GC4U) by my man sheeran yet, then i daresay you're missing half of your life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

> _We're not, no we're not friends, nor have we ever been._  
>  _We just try to keep those secrets in a lie,_  
>  _And if they find out, will it all go wrong?_  
>  _And Heaven knows, no one wants it to._
> 
> _— FRIENDS, Ed Sheeran_

 

 

 

"I didn't want to be a bother. You don't have to take me in."

Mingyu throws him a nasty look as he halts in front of C-97 unit. 

"It's okay, really," Minghao says. Which ultimately goes against everything he looks like right now; luggage in hands containing all of his few belongings and the school backpack slinging over his shoulder. Homeless. Jobless. Helpless. Possibly even pathetic. 

"Being passive-aggressive now is useless, we're already here," Mingyu points out, jiggling the keys out of his pocket and pushing the door open. "And it's not gonna win you pity points."

"I'm not trying to score some pity points from you." Minghao snarls.

The taller steps in and holds his door wider. "Good. Get in."

Minghao gets in. It's not like he has a lot of choice. For now, he has one and that's to do as he is told before the door gets slammed in his face. Knowing this guy in front of him, he'll take any chance he can get to do just that.

"I don't need you to pity me, I can handle myself just fine."

"Sure," Mingyu says, rolling his eyes as he crouches down to undo his laces. "Tell me that again when you get yourself a job and an apartment."

Minghao will. Soon. Very soon. Just he wait.

"You still haven't told me how you lost your job," he adds, placing his sneakers neatly on the small rack by the door. He glances cautiously at the crouching Minghao, almost like a silent demand to do the same with his shoes. Neatly on the rack. Minghao places his on the lowest and tucks the laces in.

"Management issues."

Not really.

But Mingyu doesn't have to know that he got fired for a blunder he didn't commit. It's pointless to explain himself to a stranger who will probably judge him for his decisions. It isn't as if he couldn't defend himself, he could've straight out ratted out whoever really did it. The manager would believe him because he knew he wasn't reckless enough to tip a shelf full of china despite his slender, shaky fingers. It'll be pointless trying to explain someone else has been clumsy enough to do it and Minghao just happened to be there standing behind her when she tips it, horror-stricken when the stream of dinnerware hits the floor with a loud crash.

He could've ratted her out.

But how could he when that clumsy employee was a pregnant woman whom he had talked to just enough times to know just how unfortunate she were? How could he pin it unto her when he knew very well this job was the only thing keeping her together despite all the shit that happened to her so far: her asshole of a boyfriend left her after getting her pregnant and abandoned by her parents and friends just because she did out of wedlock.

It was a small mistake—maybe worth a few hundred bucks but it could end everything for her and the baby. When the manager storms into the kitchen yelling at the top of his lungs, he remembers her desperately trying to catch his eyes. Minghao could tell from the fearful, teary eyes she was pleading for a chance. A chance she never had gotten even from her parents and will never get from her enraged manager. A chance she asked of Minghao, a mere stranger whom she shared a few bitter coffee over a couple of breaks with.

One chance.

So, Minghao took the fall, just for the sake of the baby, and that ultimately got him fired, jobless and now homeless. (His paycheck for that month is supposed to cover the rent but it covered the expenses for the new set of china instead.)

Maybe not so homeless anymore. Mingyu took him in after seeing him sitting on the sidewalk just outside his apartment building with his luggage beside him. Spacing out pathetically.

"I got kicked out," Minghao replies blandly when he asks out of clear amusement and nothing else. "I got fired. I'm probably gonna live in the streets now. Do you know any good sites to ask for change?"

It had been a joke to see how he would react but Mingyu took it a little too seriously and before he knew it, he decided to take him in like a puppy.

Had it been worth it taking the fall? A few days ago before his lease's due, there are times when it hadn't been. He feels like a pushover bordering on stupid for not speaking up it had been an accident but despite so, he never got tempted to walk back into that restaurant to set things right for him. It cost him his job and his apartment sure, but it'll probably cost the girl's whole life if he didn't take the blame for himself. Sure, all he got in return was the girl's sobs of _thank you_ and _I'm sorry_ but even so, he couldn't deny the lingering feeling of accomplishment. He had looked out for a stranger when the world seemed to turn its back at her. That made him seem like a hero.

Minghao likes the sound of being a hero. Mingyu doesn't have to know that though. He already thinks Minghao is pathetic.

Now all he has to worry about is to find a job and maybe a few days with someone who doesn't remotely sound like his friend and only took him in probably because he needed something close to a puppy to take care of.

Mingyu leads him to a small living room with a small couch and a TV. "Wait on the couch."

He might as well say don't scratch the pillows.

Minghao breathes in awe as he surveys Mingyu's modest apartment; dusted, well-arranged and perfumed to the corners. Mingyu doesn't look like someone who would own a beige and baby blue pad (which strangely looks calming) and maintain his apartment at this level of organized and clean. Full offense to the dude, he sneezes at everyone which is hardly a sanitary practice. He seemed a lot messier when he was in high school as far as Minghao can recall. Judging from the looks of his apartment and how it seems to sparkle under the lighting, maybe he didn't know him well enough. To be fair, they had only shared a room for a month back then. And now, they're going to do it again.

Minghao decides maybe this isn't as bad as the last time. He likes clean places just as much as he likes keeping places clean. He has a feeling he'd like it here. Hopefully not too much.

When his eyes land on the color-coded rows of albums and a few books Mingyu own, he silently wonders if this guy is secretly OCD.

"Yo, have you eaten?" Mingyu asks from the kitchen.

"Uh, yeah." Minghao shoulders his backpack off.

MIngyu saunters in with a bowl of black bean noodles and places it in front of Minghao. "Liar."

"Whoa, wait. You don't have to."

"That's leftover from lunch. I don't want any leftovers in my kitchen," Mingyu argues. "Eat it, deal with it."

"You can't make me."

"I technically can. You're in my humble abode, you're in my command. Eat everything there is to eat. You don't have to be shy about it because we both know you're every bit shameless."

Minghao frowns at him. "You fucking dictator."

Mingyu grins. "You bet I am."

"Has anybody ever told you how ugly you look when you smile?" he asks as he takes the chopsticks and brings the bowl closer to him. "'Cause I will. You look ugly. Even more than usual, really."

"You're just visually challenged."

Minghao inhales the noodles in a few minutes, unaware of his clawing stomach until the meal. After he makes sure to dispose of the plates and clean after himself, he knocks on the bedroom door. When he opens it slowly, he sees Mingyu fluffing the pillows and placing two blankets over the mattress.

The taller looks at him. "You sure you cleaned up?"

"Don't insult me." He steps in warily for no reason. "Thanks, by the way. I'll take the floor."

"I don't have any extra mattress, we're gonna have to share the bed."

Minghao gawks. "What?"

The other boy crawls over the bed and frowns at him. "What's your problem? Bed's big enough. You can't get pregnant sharing a bed with me."

 _Asshat._ "That's not what I meant."

"Either you want to freeze outside or sleep soundly and warmly in here. Your choice."

He clenches his fist tight but lets it go with a soft sigh. It’s a lot hard to swallow and it’s probably the first in a long list, but Minghao needs to quickly accept the fact that he's stuck with him and that he’ll be forced to get along with him throughout the entire time he’s staying. It’s anything but easy, but priorities. He's here with a plan after all. Stay for awhile just until he gets himself another decent part-time job that pays well, then move out after saving enough for another apartment. He'd take the cheapest one just so he can move out as soon as possible.

Soon, he pep talks himself. Just a few weeks of putting up with the world's biggest asshole then he's out.

So much for being a hero.

"Can I use your bathroom?"

"Knock yourself out."

 

 

 

 

 

"Just how much is the rent?" he whispers, but even that sounds a little too loud in the dark.

Darkness shrouds Mingyu's room, providing a fantastic raven veil for the rotating luminescent stars to do its job at lulling the place to sleep with its soft light. Except, Minghao finds himself eyeing the floating stars as it drifts around the room, keeping him wide awake. Actually, it isn't the only reason why. It's the very fact that he's inside Kim Mingyu's room, in Kim Mingyu's bed with him and enjoying its warmth is what bothers him more. It sounds so wrong no matter how many times he tries to get his head around it and he lies still, not brave enough to test the waters in all its weirdness.

Again. De ja vu. But a lot more awkward this time around. A lot harder to deal with.

Mingyu, on the other hand, doesn't seem as bothered as the bed creaks under his constant struggle to find a comfortable position. He is right; the bed is big enough for the both of them. But it isn't nearly big enough for Minghao to ignore the fact that the body next to him is there and it radiates more of the warmth he enjoys than the heater. And it's a fucking disturbing thought to dwell on so he speaks, _he squeaks_ , trying to sound dignified while he freezes completely still like a cadaver.

"Mmm," Mingyu groans to make it even weirder.

"Oi, I was asking how much is the rent."

"You paying?" he asks back, voice soft yet raspy.

"When I find a job, we split it. Including the food. Just tell me how much is everything. I'll pay half."

Just why the hell are they whispering? Both of their voices sound weird whispering. They should be raising voices and throwing snide remarks, coat each word with the sarcasm they know each other for. That should it be how it is for the both of them, even at night. Even if they're both exhausted. Even in bed next to each other. No exceptions.

Unfortunately, Mingyu doesn't share the same sentiments.

"It's on me," he fucking whispers, a trail of dream at his voice's wake.

"What do you mean it's on me?"

"I'll pay for everything," he hums, sleep obviously seeping in. "Why don't you focus on job hunting for now? Let's talk about it again when you get one."

"Right."

A pause.

He can feel Mingyu's every breath vibrating like a constant reminder of his existence, making it incredibly harder to ignore. Judging from the even breaths and slightly audible snores, Mingyu is slowly falling asleep. Rightfully so, since his work at a pastry shop slash coffee shop as a part-time pastry chef demands every bit of strength, discipline and creativity he can offer. The man must be exhausted from juggling both school and work.

He spends the next minute trying to figure out how an asshole like Mingyu can work at such a fluffy place as a sweet shop. Then he proceeds to counting breaths.

Kim Mingyu's breath. Kim Mingyu's body next to his.

His entire body tingles with pent-up energy he doesn't know he had and shifts by impulse, bed groaning under him as he turns his body to the left before he recalls Mingyu's on that side of the bed. His face meets his and Minghao freezes for a moment before realizing he is already asleep. He stays still however because the fucking bed fucking creaks so much and even more movement and creaking will be pushing his luck. So he's stuck shutting his eyes as tight as he can because its a no-brainer that he had already wounded his pride enough for one day and that staring, especially at asshat Mingyu's idiotic, sleeping face is the highest form of "luck-pushing" in Minghao's book.

 

 

 

 

 

The fact that they aren't even friends to begin with is what made this entire arrangement strange. They're probably somewhere in between; not necessarily too friendly to be friends, not too hostile to be enemies. Actually, they've managed to reach the "enemies" point back when they first met, but had toned down miraculously over time to somewhere in between. Both had only managed to remain in each other's radius even during college because of the fact that Mingyu's workplace, _Sweet Savanna_ is just across the street from Minghao's apartment.

Truthfully, Minghao can't see no other reason why Mingyu took him in besides to ridicule him in his rough times, something he probably never outgrew. To shelter him like a lost puppy just to show that he can, just to prove that he has everything Minghao doesn't. _Poor, poor puppy,_ he can imagine Mingyu thinking everytime he looks at him. _Here let me shelter you and feed you and then make you feel shit while eating and sleeping. Yes. Come to Gyu._

Minghao doesn't know why he kept comparing himself to a puppy in this case. Maybe it is due to the fact that Mingyu had kept a lot of wild strays that growls and barks back in high school and Minghao cannot overlook how dauntingly similar he is to them. Spirited, feisty and ready to bite.

Shit, that just reaches a whole new level of weird.

Minghao wakes up to the sound of rustling and he bolts right up, hair sticking out to all directions as he scans the foreign room he had woken up to. It takes a few minutes for last night's events to sink in and he calms down a bit, only to tense up again as Mingyu walks in. He swings his legs off the bed and poises to get up. He doesn't wanna look like he'd warmed up to the place this fast. The taller doesn't seem to notice as he heads for his closet.

"I'm off to work," Mingyu says, shouldering his navy blue long coat and looking as if he owns a fucking runway. "Don't scratch the pillows."

There, he says it.

"Fuck you."

Mingyu laughs, grabbing his keys next. "Food's in the fridge. Don't call me unless the apartment's on fire. But please don't set it on fire just to call me."

Minghao doesn't see him off so he wonders to the kitchen in an after-sleep haze when Mingyu leaves. He digs through the fridge in search for a light meal that Mingyu wouldn't notice had gone missing from his supplies then frowns at the spotless room.

It would've been easier to take in if he had a little cleaning to do, something to take his mind off of the fact he can't call because he doesn't even have Mingyu's number.

 

 

 

 

  
"You can stay over at my place," Seokmin says over the phone. "Why didn't you call me first?"

Minghao would. He'd take a messy Seokmin than an OCD Mingyu who couldn't spare some mess for him to take care of. He normally appreciates a clean household but now, he would most likely appreciate a few mess to keep him occupied.

"Nah. I don't want to be a burden. You're too cramped there."

_Three's a crowd._

"Soonyoungie wouldn't mind."

 _Oh he would._ Minghao dumbly shrugs. "It's okay. I've already settled at Mingyu's."

"About that! I still can't believe he took you in."

"I know."

"Wonder what he ate for lunch."

"Probably a whole lot of yeast if you ask me. It's probably clogging his brain now and when it decomposes, he would snap out of it and kick me out in a flash."

"Hah!" He hears shuffling from the other line. "Mingyu's actually a good guy, you know. Just not around you, for some reason."

"What a newsflash. Thanks."

Seokmin laughs. "You'll be fine, honest. As long as you don't kill him first."

"That is something I pray for every day. I could use some of your good, Seoks. I'll need it."

"You have enough good in you, Hao believe me. You just need to learn to use it on Mingyu," Seokmin says. "You both do, really. By then, rooming wouldn't be too bad anymore."

Minghao hates it when he speaks like this. Like he knows for sure. It doesn't sound like the normal Seokmin. He sounds possessed by some divine spirit.

"So do you know any job openings?" he asks.

Seokmins hums thoughtfully. "None as of the moment. Have you tried Mingyu's shop?"

"I already share a bed with him, I don't need to see him all day every second in my foreseeable future."

" _You share a bed_?!" his friends laughs. "Damn, who is he and what did that guy do to Mingyu?"

"I know."

"I'd understand if it was me. But you?"

"That's what I was talking about."

"Damn."

Minghao nods. "Yeah, damn."

"Told you he's a good guy. He's willing to overlook the fact that you peed on him during high school when you two last share a bed."

"Don't remind me."

Another guffaw from the other line echoes, bright and crisp. Now, that sounds like the real Seokmin. He laughs at everything. "That was when you guys hit it off, didn't you?"

"No. That was when I knew there is such a species as _Koreanus fucktardus_ and he's the first in the line."

Seokmin laughs again and Minghao joins in, finding it hard not to and feeling his day brights up a tad bit. "That's a good one but you know, hopefully Mingyu doesn't remember it."

Mingyu does, in fact. It takes all of Minghao's willpower not to throw a punch at his "generous host".

"Don't pee on me when we sleep okay?" he warns, slipping under the covers when he gets home that night.

Minghao storms out and doesn't come back until the taller had fallen asleep because he knows from experience that a  _Koreanus fucktardus_  like him is so much better asleep.

 

 

 

 

 

Everything started on freshman year, Minghao had a Kim Mingyu guy listed as his roommate for the year.

Back then, everything was foreign and awkward for the immigrant Chinese, from the weird Korean food he only had glimpses at Korean restaurants but never actually tasted to the barely readable Korean characters that his mind had refused to take in easily at a young age. Minghao was awkward, lanky and Chinese who knew next to nothing about the country he had blindly set foot in. He's also just twelve and back then, everything was just suffocating. From the fact his parents didn't even bother enough to be sad to see him go to the fact that he never wanted to be there. He's supposed to be there for a scholarship in a boarding school and if he does well, it'll also cover his college fees. But he didn't want to do well in a Korean boarding school. He didn't even want to leave China  _at all_ but right from the start, there was no room for Minghao's "want" in his household. There's only a resounding "need" for him to do things he's told to do so he swallows his protests back for what seemed like all his life and hopes he didn't throw it up somewhere where he can be seen by anyone in that state of weakness.

When his plane touched down at the airport, his aunt had been there to take him to the campus and even she didn't show any bit of sympathy for her nephew. His arrival there had been treated as a form of punishment. A proof that he's been banished from his home, from his very country just because he had joined a dance squad against his parents' wish and because they firmly believed he was never meant to dance. By then, he had felt unwanted, stuck, alone and the only thing keeping him together was the fact that he at least had a boarding school to take him in. At least, he'd be able regroup there, gather his thoughts and shit back together. Maybe he'd learn enough Korean to stay alive. Maybe not kill himself.

Minghao had lost a couple times on his way to his dorm. He had tried not to cry but it got harder to hold it in the closer he got to his unit. When he finally closes the door behind him he dropped to the floor, sobbed hard under folded arms and wailed at the top of his lungs.

That was the start of the string of his many mistakes from then on.

He realized that as soon as he looked up and saw a boy of his age but slightly taller than him, halfway through stuffing a milk bread into his mouth. Minghao froze, tears apparently didn't get the memo to do the same as it continues trickling down his cheek shamelessly. They stared at each other for awhile before the boy snickered.

"You got snot running down your nose," he said, pointing at him.

Minghao knew only little Korean but the message got across. _"Ah, shit."_ He swore in Chinese and wiped it off.

"I'm Mingyu but you don't look like you're Korean," the boy added, biting off a piece of his bread. _"Chinese?_ " he asked in English, weird but practiced. Minghao nodded.

" _I'm your roommate,_ " he said in English and pointed at himself then to him. "Xu Minghao?"

Minghao nodded again.

"I'll call you Cryinghao. Your name is a mouthful."

The kid was Kim Mingyu and he turned out to be the first of the _Koreanus fucktardus_ he's known in his life.

It was as if the universe itself was against Minghao peaceful venture in Korea and had decided to embody his further misfortunes in the form of the boy and then put him inside his supposedly peaceful space. As if he hadn't gotten enough of all the shit the universe has to offer. As if he needed another asshole to make his life a bit more miserable.

It was easier to handle at first when he couldn't understand half the teasing but as he slowly learned more Korean to understand even the simplest of it, it had dramatically increased. As if it wasn't bad enough for them to share a bed for being left with the single-bed unit.

It was a miracle Minghao hadn't even thought of killing himself. He had to thank his pride for that. He had been too proud to cave in to Mingyu's incessant teasing, had been too snarly to succumb to the misery he brought to Korea with him. He had been too determined to learn more curse words, too busy to learn more sarcasm put into right context to get back at him. But even pride has its own limits, and what was waiting for him at the end of it, at the end of everyday he was forced to go through was an overwhelming tidal wave of sadness that tramples all over him solid and angry. The passing days felt as if Minghao was nose-diving down the slope at terminal velocity with the air knocked out from his lungs. He was trembling every night, forced to act like he wasn't to the point of peeing on bed because he was too afraid to get up at night, too depressed to even move, too caught up in his own pity bubble to be aware of the mess he's made. Mingyu fought him because of it and had found reason for everything else. Minghao learned to fight back and soon enough, their unit became a literal war zone. Halfway through the term, dorm management decided to split them up before they set the entire building on fire. Minghao ended up rooming with Mingyu's bestfriend, Lee Seokmin, and that's how he decided he hated Kim Mingyu.

 

 

 

 

Minghao doesn't plan this to be all domestic and shit. Exactly why he makes sure to be anywhere but by the door when Mingyu leaves first in the morning so he doesn't see him off all domestic-like and be awkward without the _"Goodbye dear"_. But the _Korean fucktardus extraordinarinus_ , as expected, doesn't share his sentiments. On a weekend two weeks after he's moved in, Minghao walks out of the bedroom and finds Mingyu in the kitchen, closing the fridge.

"Let's go to the grocery store," he says with a bed-head and a raspy voice, holding a cup of cold coffee. "We ran out of bananas."

Banana is all what Minghao ate that week. "Uh, I got to be somewhere else."

"Bananas first," Mingyu argues. "Or else, what would you eat for the next couple days?"

That's how he ends up wrapped his scarf, waddling next to Mingyu as they walk down the street to the grocery store. The lack of banana stock turns into a reasonable argument that even Minghao couldn't speak against. It's his only food supply besides the cheap, repetitious college food for the past weeks. Gladly, Mingyu doesn't question his food choice so far so that means his plan on minimal consumption of the food found in Mingyu's fridge is working. As soon as they reach the store, Minghao strolls away from the taller and trudges down the fruit aisle where he obtains several banana hands. He'll be fine with these. He'll manage. Maybe he can steal a few cornflakes and milk without Mingyu noticing so he should be fine.

He's about to head to the counter after when Mingyu strolls in, pushing a trolley down the aisle over to Minghao. It hasn't been a few minutes yet the trolley's already half-filled with a few cartons of milk, meat, chicken, an awful lot of ramen packs and a bottle of shampoo. Either Mingyu has zero regard for product quality or he's the freaking Flash, Minghao couldn't think of any other scientific explanation. Mingyu stops and takes the bananas from Minghao's hands and surveys them.

"Seriously?" he asks him.

Minghao stares back blankly. "Yeah, seriously."

"Is this your secret to having those luscious skin and bones? Several fresh bananas?"

"Exactly. Good for the bones."

Mingyu shakes his head and places the bananas neatly beside the ramen packs. "That all? I'm not complaining but I can't have you die on me. Pick another fruit, geez."

"I can't say I have the money for that."

Mingyu looks at him then sighs. "Okay. If that's how you want to be, how about you pay me double for all of this when you get your job? Just to make you feel better. Deal?"

Minghao hums as he contemplates. "Double is trouble. How about an additional 5% instead to the half of it?"

The taller raises his brow at him.

"I get to pay 55%," Minghao says. "of all you've spent for me."

"Alright fine, cheapskate." Mingyu waves a hand at him, dismissively. "If that makes you happy."

The taller is striding away when Minghao smiles, reaching for a huge pineapple from the fresh stacks. When they get home, Mingyu whips up a nice meal of spicy rice cakes and kimchi with a side of bananas. Minghao wonders how the hell did Mingyu turn out to be such a fine cook and hopes it's not gonna be a many-time thing or else it will make it hard for him to stick to his all-banana diet while he's under his roof.

 

 

 

 

 

Besides that one time minor intervention with the fruits Minghao intake, Mingyu manages to stay clear of his other choices, including the time he goes home everyday. Probably because he comes home later and leaves earlier in the morning than Minghao does. That means Minghao gets the place to himself most of the time if he isn't out and he gets to walk in and out every time he wants to.

The next few days are spent on attending seminars and looking for part-time job openings. The latter isn't looking too good for Minghao who was fired for being a clumsy ex-worker and all those stores are looking for "fairly efficient" employees and good recommendations. Back in China, you can get a part-time job easily as long as you phrase your words right, bow down and acknowledge your employer's hard work.

There has been better days to be out and today isn't one of them. Unforgiving rain pounds hard against the windows, shrouding the horizon in a gray and restless, almost blinding state. It's kind of pretty to look at if you're inside gazing out to it. Which Minghao isn't.

He curses inside his head for the nth time as he speeds down the sidewalk to the apartment, leaning back to his hood as he stretches it out to keep the water out of his eyes. He fails naturally and shivers, since the water has long been sipped into his hair and cascaded down his forehead. The only thing he could do is not to prevent himself from getting any more soaked but to beat himself mentally for not grabbing the fucking umbrella on his way out having been aware of the glaring hints this morning. But he couldn't have gotten one either way, it's Mingyu's umbrella. He doesn't want to grab Mingyu's anything even if it meant getting soaked like this. But fuck it, his books.

At least he'd have an excuse why he doesn't turn his essay in.

Minghao makes his way inside the apartment building and climbs wearily to Mingyu's apartment, feeling the day's exhaustion fighting against his muscles on the way up. As of now, he decides to focus on his acads over part-time job hunting since midterms week is coming up and he needs to work his butt off for a passable first half to this sem. Most of this time was spent over going back and forth between the library and Seokmin's place where they study together out of habit, despite taking different courses. They aren't much help to one another directly but each other's presence alone gets the work done. With Minghao in his place, Seokmin can finally focus on the more important stuff other than the eyelash-batting Soonyoung and Minghao can be somewhere else other than Mingyu's place.

"His place feels like high school," he said to Seokmin once as he pushed him out of his bedroom for another round of study time. "And next time homie, don't live with your boyfriend."

Minghao halts in front of the unit and twists his key in, giving it a slight push. He freezes in the doorway when he finds Mingyu leaning against it with folded arms. He's home early. He normally doesn't come home until ten in the evening and it's still nine.

"Hey," he greets, suddenly hyper-aware of how dripping wet he is. "You're home early." _Wait, fuck, no Minghao. That's domestic-ish._

"You didn't even bother taking the umbrella," Mingyu says dangerously, like it has personally offended him. "I left it there for a reason."

"You did? That's weird."

"You're dripping," he points out.

"I can mop it off."

Minghao tries not to look too cold nor too wet as he crouches down to take off his shoes. He senses Mingyu walk out of the room so he sighs, thinking he's off the hook when he notices him walk back in, dropping a towel on top of his head. Mingyu sits in front of him and starts wiping his head with it.

"What are you—"

"I can't let you get my place wet. Just take off your shoes."

Minghao does quickly, almost forgetting to pile his sneakers neatly on the rack and taking over Mingyu's hands to rub the towel on his own head.

"Take your clothes off," Mingyu commands stiffly.

"I'm not taking them off."

"Take them off now. I'll bring the hamper over," Mingyu says, heading to the bathroom.

In a daze, Minghao wraps the towel around his shoulders and sheds his soaked hood and pants. He keeps his shirt and boxers on which were only slightly wet and Mingyu steps in, dumping his wet clothes into the basket.

"Wait in the kitchen, I'll make you something warm."

"You don't have to."

"You're making me do it so shut up."

Mingyu disappears into the bathroom, probably to throw his clothes into the laundry.

Minghao immediately regrets doing everything he's been told so far including settling in the kitchen rather than heading for a change of clothes. But he figures maybe he subconsciously isn't up for another round of argument. Either that or he's starting to get subconsciously compliant without realizing it. The latter sounds so disturbing that he shivers. (Maybe partly from the cold.) Nobody says anything as Mingyu settles in front of the stove. After a few minutes, he places a hot bowl of chicken soup and a tea in front of him.

"You're really stupid you know that?" Mingyu lashes out. "What if you get sick?"

He blinks. "Then, too bad for me?"

"You're gonna get me sick too, we're sharing the same bed."

"Maybe you can finally let me take the floor. That's an idea."

"I already told you I don't have any mattresses."

Minghao feels irritation creep up to his head. "Shut up, okay I told you, you didn't have to take me. It's kinda partly your fault."

"That's not the point here. If you'd only taken the fucking umbrella or stopped somewhere just until the rain stops."

"Yeah, that's a plan. Stay there until the rain stops."

Mingyu sighs, still looking slightly red. "Alright fine. But next time, take the umbrella."

"You can't tell me what to do, you're not my mom."

"You don't have one here."

"Exactly, and since when did _you_ care?"

That shuts him up, Mingyu chews on his lip, brows scrunched up looking like he still has a lot to say. "Fine. _Fine._ If you get sick, you're on your own."

"I didn't ask to be with you to begin with."

"Then leave."

Minghao puffs his chest and stares back. "I will."

Mingyu stomps out of the kitchen. A few minutes after, he stomps back in. "On the second thought, don't. That's stupid. You can't be too stupid."

". . . yeah."

"Just don't—" he sighs. "You get it."

Minghao doesn't.

 

 

 

 

He wakes up to the other's throaty coughs and the bed's shaking. Minghao jerks right up, ready to take off if he feels the very building shaking but instead hears Mingyu's poorly-concealed scratchy barking echoing in the darkness. His eyes land on the glaring LED clock across the bed and finds it flashing a red 2.45. He sighs, relieved because it isn't an earthquake _thank goodness_ but squints in the dark to focus on the shaking burrito-like Mingyu beside him, sniffing and radiating a dangerously unnatural warmth.

Minghao stays still for further confirmation and gets another lengthy and crunchy cough. Then a sneeze to make things a little worse.

Great. Looks like somebody caught a cold.

As quietly as he can, Minghao slips out of the room and fills a glass with water in the kitchen before stepping back into the room. He flicks Mingyu's bedside table lamp on and tentatively shakes Mingyu's shoulders.

"Mingyu," he whispers, then clears his throat. "Mingyu," he says louder.

A cough, then an irritated hum.

"Water," Minghao speaks. "Get up. Come on."

Mingyu groggily strips out of his blanket cocoon and groans as he gets up. By then Minghao can feel the intense heat radiating from him and can see his red puffy eyes. He definitely looks pale even if his slightly tanned skin doesn't allow some noticeable red to surface. His beat-up appearance and incessant coughing is enough to tell something is wrong. Mingyu takes the water gingerly and downs it in a heartbeat, poising to get back to bed when Minghao stops him, placing a cold palm on his blazing forehead.

"You caught a cold," Minghao informs him, then feels silly doing so. Mingyu groans hazily in response as he settles back in. "You're gonna have to get up once I get some medicine. Uh, don't get too comfortable."

"Do you think . . ." Mingyu breathes against the onslaught of coughs. ". . . we have leftover soup from dinner?"

"You don't allow leftovers."

"Oh. Right."

"Do you want soup?"

"I'm fine, I just . . ." Mingyu trails off then closes his eyes.

Minghao shakes his head and grabs his phone on the way out to the kitchen, reaching for the medicine kit in one of the cupboards. He places the medicine on the kitchen counter and takes his phone out to look up "easy to make food for sick people". Normally he'd feel silly phrasing the question that way but desperate times demand desperate measures and he rather look up silly questions than have his roommate die on him now. After a few minutes of browsing through a couple of medicinal and culinary sites and some panicky internal debate on contacting the emergency service, he lands on the only choice he could take as of the moment. He chooses to cook ramen for the lack of ingredients and personal skills for other more complicated recipes.

Halfway through stirring the broth and the noodles around the pot, he looks over his shoulder and finds Mingyu shuffling into the kitchen with their blanket around his shoulders, looking dubiously at the phone in his one hand, the laddle on the other.

"I, uh." Minghao pockets his phone hastily and shrugs. "couldn't be too careful cooking ramen. I was just looking up for a few tips," he explains, trying to look convincing and dependable as he continues stirring.

"Is that soup?" Mingyu asks throatily, then clears his throat. "You didn't have to cook."

"Yeah I didn't," he replies, taking the pot off the low fire and sets it on the table. "But I got hungry. You can have some if you like."

Mingyu takes a seat as he dishes out the bowls and the utensils. He gives Mingyu's bowl a few scoops of the soup and places a glass of water next to him with the medicine.

"How do you feel?" he asks.

"Like shit," Mingyu replies with a grimace.

"I can't tell. You look the same to me," Minghao points out. "Still like shit."

"Ha-ha."

Minghao laughs, briefly wondering maybe Mingyu's ordeal had given him the courage to tease. He doesn't seem to mind so much. He looks busy feeling sick to even bite back his smartass comebacks. Also, he's been staring cautiously at the soup for a few seconds now, as if still trying to figure out if it's edible or poison through half-lidded eyes.

"It'll help with the nose," he assures, watching as Mingyu takes a tentative sip from the soup.

The taller smacks his lips experimentally and nods contentedly after, scooping another spoonful. A few minutes later, he's blowing and sipping hungrily through the entire thing, even slurping the noodles with gusto.

Minghao tries hard not to smile at the job well done (thank goodness for Internet) and sips his own soup. Then it hits him square between the eyes and punches him right upside the jaw, leaving him blinking at Mingyu at his disoriented and silent vulnerable state that this right here, is domesticity in all the word's sense. It all fucking fits it's almost physically painful. One gets sick and the other one feeds him soup and gives him medicine. Then the other will have to wipe cloth all over the former's body to try to ease the feverish warmth and then they will end up cuddling at some point and get all mushy and— _oh fuck no._

_Never in a million years._

"What?" Mingyu asks with a brow raised as soon as Minghao realizes he's been staring while looking like he can feel a diarrhea coming up in his stomach.

He shakes his head and hastily sips on his soup. He scours his brain for anything to divert the other from his previous blatant staring and comes up with, "How'd you get sick anyways? I thought you're as strong as a cow," which came out thankfully cooler and smoother than he expects.

Mingyu's staring suggests the opposite. "How'd _you_ spell this soup _cooked,_ is the real question here."

Minghao shrugs. "I'm a Chinese person living in Korea for almost a decade now. I can whip up a few soup for a life. And in this case, yours."

"Deliciously too." Mingyu squints suspiciously.

He perks up. "Yeah, it's good?"

"I'm a sick person who says it's good," Mingyu replies with his head cocked to the side. "You do the math."

"Oh, fuck you, just say thank you."

Mingyu laughs, surprisingly loud. "Okay, thank you."

Nobody speaks for a few minutes before Mingyu coughs up and says, "I think I got sick from the weather."

An image of Mingyu shedding his wet long coat and boots from work one night flashes across Minghao's mind. He had offered him a towel and a hamper just like what he did to him one time and got a shivery "thank you" in return. He didn't think that one time is enough to get to him. Turns out maybe Mingyu isn't as tough against natural phenomenon as he thinks.

"Maybe you should bring the umbrella next time," Minghao helpfully suggests, finishing the last of his soup.

"Yeah, maybe I should." Mingyu nods and stands up with his bowl. "Because the person I left it for doesn't seem to need it."

Thank all the things mighty they don't end up cuddling after that. The taller looks so much better after another glass of water and the medicine, though still congested, that he no longer looked as weary as he does before. He falls asleep as soon as his body hits the bed without so much as another word.

But Minghao lays there next to the sick Mingyu for a couple hours, making sure to be awake in time for Mingyu's next medication. He really doesn't plan this to blow any more domestic and shit any more than it already looks like but he can't have this sick-Mingyu theme stretching longer if he can help it. So he flips the drifting stars on and counts Mingyu's coughs instead as he lets the fact that they're still lying next to each other bother him till early morning hours.

 

 

 

 

When Mingyu's fever fades a few days after (he's forced to stay home for those days because he can't have his regulars get infected from his sneezing spells), he comes home with a few tubs of ice cream to "celebrate". He even sinks next to Minghao in front of the TV while holding out two spoons and a tub of rocky road. He stares passionately at _The Walking Dead_ Season 8 rerun in front of him as Minghao takes one spoon and supports the tub too with one hand.

Nobody says anything as they simultaneously scoop out spoonfuls of the icy goodness, both pairs of eyes glued to the intense Sanctuary crossfire, a Negan being the most badass antagonist TV has ever seen and good-old Walker gore flashing in front of them.

Minghao wonders why ice cream in the middle of the fucking night with the merciless rain pounding against the windows outside. But Mingyu's smirks are all the explanation he needs and because he's down for all sorts of spiting, he mutters a brief "fuck you, weather" and digs in.

 

 

 

 

 

It starts with the panda video.

Before, Minghao makes it a habit to turn in after he's sure Mingyu has fallen asleep to avoid making these encounters any more awkward. He makes a mistake of walking in to the room one night and finds the taller sprawled all over the bed holding his phone up to his face. Mingyu acknowledges his presence by scooting over, wiggling on the mattress like a caterpillar and it's a fucking mistake Minghao walks in with his pajamas on and teeth immaculately brushed with no other excuse to bail.

He let his pride talk ("I'm not fucking getting out of here and be chicken about this.") so he saunters over and climbs into the bed, flipping to his side trying to ignore the fact they look like a married couple caught in a silly love quarrel. Even after all those ice creams they shared together, it's still pretty awkward to have Mingyu in the same room. Probably because nobody has said anything more than the usual, _"Where are the bananas?"_ and _"Catch you later."_

Except, Mingyu obviously doesn't think so.

"Damn, Minghao check this out," Mingyu practically squeals, crawling closer to Minghao's side of the bed and propping himself up on his elbow to show him a video on his phone.

Although slightly taken aback from the sudden personal space invasion, Minghao focuses on the stark brightness of the screen to the tumbling panda on it. Mingyu roars in laughter right into his ears, _he's too fucking close_ and the entire bed shakes from it. When he notices Minghao doesn't laugh, he taps the replay button and shoves it closer to his face for another take and Minghao laughs this time around, shakily but laughing, and it gets buried under Mingyu's booming laughter.

"He's so freaking cute I want to make a keychain out of him." The taller snorts and settles back down, but doesn't quite retreat to his side of the bed instead he stays there hovering over him, a grin plastered on his face as he scrolls for more videos.

With the remains of the awkward smile, Minghao tries to ease out farther from him but stops when he realizes he's already on the edge of the bed. He shies his face away from the light and tries not to look panicked at the lack of space.

"Oh! Oh! Here's another one! Look!" Mingyu assumes his position up his elbow and snickers into Minghao's ears as he holds up his phone once again for the both of them to see. "Wait for it . . ."

Minghao doesn't know which meme made it less awkward and made his laugh more sincere but the browsing-and-showing eventually gets easier and after what seems like a few hours into the night laughing and pointing at the screen until their jaws and stomach hurt, the two collapses on the bed side by side, their foreheads touching and shoulders bumping with Mingyu's phone laying abandoned on his hand.

 

 

 

 

It continues with the unexpected phone calls. Even during classes.

"What do you want for dinner?"

Minghao blinks when he realizes it's Mingyu. "Uh, how did you even have my number?"

They never even exchanged numbers.

"Seokmin. So, dinner?"

Minghao fucking blinks again as he scans his classroom as if it's the first time he sees it that day and ducks his head behind another head.

"Uh. What?"

"What do you want for dinner?" Mingyu repeats. "I'm off early so I'll prep dinner. I'm at the grocery store right now, I'll get your bananas so you don't have to worry about that. How does pork bellies sound to you? Bibimpap?"

"Uh . . ." Minghao drawls. "That sounds great?"

"Great. Don't eat out. Eat at home."

"Uh, okay."

Mingyu hangs up. Minghao stares at his phone and wonders a general  _What the fuck"_ inside his head with the occassional  _Eat at home"_ resounding.

 

 

 

 

 

"So, how's things with Mingyu?" Jun asks, browsing through the books before him with his hand sliding along the spines looking titles. Minghao walks alongside him with a bunch of books in his arms. In between studying with Seokmin and studying alone at the library, he has this rare moments of finding Wen Junhui, a fellow Chinese and classmate from high school. What makes library encounters like this rare is the fact that Junhui's taking up Performing Arts and he's just ever at the library to borrow books for his boyfriend Jeon Wonwoo and pick up pizza on the way to his apartment. Minghao thinks its petty running errands for his boyfriend but Junhui argues he only thinks it is because Minghao doesn't know love and if he does, he'll be at the same level of petty as him, if not lower.

"As if," Minghao would argue back, just to spite him.

"Someday," Junhui said once, sounding awfully like Seer-Mode Seokmin. "you'll find love and instead of cuddling and soaking to the lovey-dovey feeling, it's gonna bite you in the ass for making fun of my everlasting love for Jeon Wonwoo."

_Yeah, how's things with Mingyu, Minghao?_

Minghao shrugs because he doesn't even know how to phrase the past months living with him. He's still the same-old, sarcastic Mingyu toned down a few notches and patched with a few niceness. It's hard to be sure when it comes to him. It's hard to point out when a nice gesture is thoroughly a nice gesture without a whoopee cushion underneath it or any ulterior motive. "There's no "things" with Mingyu."

Jun grabs a thick book out of the shelf, his arm flexing from the effort. "Okay, first of all don't make me phrase that question in Chinese, I'm trying hard not to switch to mother tongue. What, you're still hang up on what happened during high school? He's a plenty nice guy."

 _Yeah, Minghao. He kinda is._ "Okay. So it's no big deal."

"That's not how you made it sound like when you first moved in." They saunter over to a vacant table and set their books on it. "You're all _'I fucking hate him Jun, I swear I'll kill him in my sleep I know it.'"_

"I still want to kill him, though," he jokes.

"Damn," Jun eyes him cautiously. "when I said I was hoping to see some action out of this, I was hoping for different kind of action. The nice and pleasurable kind."

Minghao grins. "He has fed me and sheltered me for a few months now. There's nothing more to it."

Maybe a few meme videos. And Vines. And song recommendations. And the occasional cakes and cookies over weekends. Some intelligent _The Walking Dead_ discussions and shared admiration for Negan. Nothing more.

"But I really hope you guys work it you know?"

"Your Korean is fucking weird." Minghao snaps. "We should study more and practice. Say _"Jun is stupid."_ "

"No, really. It'd be nice. I won't be surprised at all. You guys got the complete package already; the grumpy smaller guy—"

"What small—"

"—and the taller, maybe a bit bossy yet drop-dead gorgeous puppy man. And you guys even share a bed! It's a dream," Jun sighs. "What did you say about his eyes once? They're so brown and alluring you want to pluck them out and feed them to the chickens?"

"That's hardly supporting your twisted thinking."

"It's all the support I needed." Jun's eyes twinkled. "You said they're brown and you stared long enough to know they're fucking alluring. Plus you said that with passion."

Minghao chuckles. "You make a better liar than Allkpop."

"Hey baby I'm the Allkpop to your life." Jun snickers. "Tell me when you guys finally hit it off, alright?"

"Never."

"Never is too long a time, Minghao. But you know what they say right? Never is only a day when the horse is too close to the hay."

"Who even said that?"

"Apparently I did. But let's just say."

Minghao laughs aloud, earning a harsh _shush_ from the librarian who has been eyeing the two since they sat down.

 

 

 

 

 

It doesn't end with the phone calls.

Instead, it stems up to the discreet glances Minghao steals every now and then. To his defense, he's not checking him out any chance he gets. (Nope, not really. Not intentionally. Obviously. Like that freaking ass and chest are both attention-seeking and shrine-worthy, _okay big deal, whatever._ ) He's just trying to look for the high school _Koreanus fucktardus_ Mingyu he's grown to hate as intensely and as focused as he can any chance he gets, big difference. His brain just downright refuses to believe it has completely vanished under the facade of a sensible (sometimes) young man who could pass as a fucking model with the everyday sidewalk as his runway. Well, it isn't as if he's completely vanished _per se_ , because Minghao knows he's always there inside of him, reading to spring in action to Minghao's slightest show of stupid or clumsy. It's just that, sometimes it gets lost and for some reason, Minghao just wants it to surface enough to get him back to his senses, to give himself more reasons why he shouldn't enjoy the beef stew too much nor the warm bed he sleeps in every night because he's dangerously running out. He wants to see something that'll feed his silent contempt and not feed the wrong side to him which is starting to think maybe a few more months without a job is alright. Maybe a few more months focusing on his studies will pay off better than wasting his time job-hunting. Maybe a few more months with Mingyu would . . .

 _Gods and all things mighty_. This is why he needs the asshole Mingyu back. He needs him to give Minghao a good metaphorical slap of reality across the face.

Minghao gets most of his needs just fine for a few months now with Mingyu providing for him and that is a dangerous enough incentive to stay here. Even his honed sarcasm doesn't seem to provoke Mingyu as much as before. Minghao isn't sure how to ask the baker to be rude to him because he obviously isn't trying anymore. He especially doesn't know how to ask him that when Minghao himself isn't too keen to have that asshole side to him back. This scares him, this, the thought that he might actually see Mingyu in a different light and he fears the day he'll wake up to Mingyu's sleeping face next to him and think, _"Yeah. Maybe this isn't so bad after all."_

Because that would be very fucking bad.

 

 

 


	2. He Moves Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minghao tries to move out, Mingyu tries to prevent that from happening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this took me way longer than i originally thought it would. special thanks to the folks on twitter for being directly responsible for the last-minute tweaking i've done with the ending!

 

 

 

> _Friends should sleep in other beds._   
>  _And friends shouldn't kiss me like you do._   
>  _And I know that there's a limit to everything._   
>  _But my friends won't love me like you._   
>  _No, my friends won't love me like you do._   
>  _Oh, my friends will never love me like you._
> 
> _— FRIENDS, Ed Sheeran_

 

 

 

"How's job-hunting so far?" Seokmin inquires, munching on his weekly _karaage._ College food is grassy and stale on weekdays except Friday because it's the only day of the week where the school cook's actually sober and sane enough not to feed the paying students carabao grass and an almost-manure alternative. But that's just Minghao's favorite hunch and the most popular theory most students go with. Goodness knows what's really happening inside those kitchens. 

Fridays are Seokmin's favorite days because Japanese cuisine takes up more than half of the day's menu. They're basically Seokmin days where Seokmin sun rays are extra bright and everyone can get the privilege to soak in all its warmth by being the receiving end of his random hallway greetings and enthusiastic beaming. He's strangely famous for it, almost everyone they come across while walking along the corridors nod or smile back at Seokmin. 

"Do you even know them?" Minghao asked him once. 

Seokmin shrugged. "Not really, but does it matter? They smile back!"

Lately, Seokmin's been spending his lunch break with Minghao instead of his bestfriend and boyfriend, so the recent Fridays mean double the exposure to his UV rays.

It's a bit concerning. (Minghao cares for his skin and eyes.)

He asks him, squinting jokingly and ignoring his question. "Did you and Soonyoung fight?"

"What? No," Seokmin replies, eyes big. "Why would we?"

"You're spending time with me more. Is the world ending or am I secretly diagnosed with cancer and you're the only one who knows it?" Minghao teases, stuffing his face with the chicken.

Seokmin stops eating, looking sincerely offended. "I _love_ spending time with you! I'm not _just_ with you because Mingyu's hella busy and Soonyoung spends his breaks at the dance studio. I chose to be here with you, okay?"

"So that is why you're eating lunch with me? Because they're both busy?"

"Not entirely!" Seokmin protests then swallows his food. "But I like the cancer theory. Do you mind if I use it? I'll definitely use it."

Minghao chuckles and decides to let it go. Actually, the thought doesn't actually bother him. He can be Seokmin's second option to hang out with and he won't even bat an eye. Ever since they shared a room for years, Seokmin's company has been welcomed under most circumstances. He has unexpectedly become his silver lining in the sky especially after those issues with Mingyu in the past. Leave it to Seokmin to brighten his day through his jokes, through his very company. Sure, he laughs way too loud over the tiniest of things but it's uplifting and Minghao welcomes anything uplifting in his life.

Sure, he's a bit concerned about his eyes and skin. But he'd take a sunny Seokmin than no Seokmin at all.

"But really, are you still looking for a part-time job?"

"Yeah, I am but," _But._ "I should focus on studying more. A job can wait. There are more pressing matters, like college."

"Right," Seokmin eyes flash as if they're searching Minghao's face. He doesn't flinch however. He takes it straight on, even raising a questioning brow.

"Do you know when's Mingyu's birthday?"

"Huh?"

"April 6. Thought you should know."

"Okay." Minghao nods, realizing he didn't really know before. "Noted."

Seokmin squints at him and Minghao asks. "What?"

"How's the _Spiderman Homecoming_?" he asks back. "Soonyoung told me it has great reviews. Maybe I should take him to watch it this weekend. But I wanna know from someone who actually saw it."

"Ooh. That one's bomb," Minghao chirps. "It's got that _Ultimate Spiderman_ vibes to it which I think is brilliant. Mingyu prefers the old Spidy franchise but to heck with him. It's a pretty hypocrite thing to say too because he was the one laughing his ass off most of . . ."

Minghao trails to a stop when a knowing smile blooms across Seokmin's face.

"What?" He frowns. "How did you know I watched it with . . ."

_Mingyu._

"Oh, lucky guess," Seokmin sings. "You know what, I'm taking Soonyoung to watch it. You guys looked like you enjoyed it. That's good enough for me, I'm sold!"

Minghao doesn't like how the Seer-Mode Seokmin voice is starting to leak through his sunny smiles. It's tainting it in a way, and he doesn't like that one bit.

 

 

 

 

"I have to work extra shifts till the end of the month," Mingyu informs him over breakfast of eggs and toast. (The man is also irritatingly familiar with Western breakfast, it's so hateful how he's good at everything). "So that means no more beef stew on the weekends. Just until the extra shifts end. I'll be home later than usual."

Beef stew on weekends has become a thing now unintentionally. It's a bait to take Minghao's attention off Mingyu's unsuspecting supply of bananas, he knows it. At least, that's how he chooses to see it.

"That's sad," Minghao says, half-meaning it. As much as he likes to remind himself he dislikes Mingyu to the bones, he couldn't deny how much he adores his beef stew. And his rice cakes. His overall cooking. He likes it. "Isn't that too hard on yourself?"

Mingyu shrugs. "No choice. Main chef's down with liver cancer. We're looking for someone to cover him for a few months just until he recovers. Until then, me and the other part-timers will have to step up to cover for him."

"You're hiring?"

"Yeah, we're hiring _bakers_ ," he replies then smirks. "You make a mean ramen soup but I doubt your baking skills."

Minghao rolls his eyes. "Yeah, okay."

"But you know, you can't really fail ramen."

 _"I know,_ asshat. I get it."

Mingyu laughs like wind chimes, sharp and sometimes high-pitched. Minghao thinks it's a unique laugh to own, despite sounding a bit weird for a guy.

"Don't burn the apartment," is his usual reminder before he heads to the door.

"I don't fancy calling you at all, don't worry." Minghao snorts and sees him off, waving and muttering a quick, " _Catch you later."_

"If it isn't too much," Mingyu sheepishly says right before he leaves. "Take care of the pad for me."

That is a plea Minghao's willing to take on, despite already been doing it even before Mingyu tells him. After school or whenever he takes a break from studying, he makes a habit of tidying up a little by little the way Mingyu would've. He makes sure to dust the corners, in between the stacked albums and some of his books displayed, taking into consideration the amount of time Mingyu devotes to polishing the place himself despite his hectic schedule. Apparently, "taking care of the pad for him" involves a handful of laundry that Mingyu seems to appreciate the most when he caught him heave a huge sigh of relief as he pulls out a clean pair of socks from his drawer a few days ago.

Taking care of the pad is the least Minghao could've done in return for the food and shelter.

Extra shifts mean Minghao will have to take grocery into his own hands, too. And alone, which is a first because they always do it together. After he dresses to go out, he lists down all the usual things and all the usual brands Mingyu buy in front of the cupboards and reaches for just enough bills from Mingyu's home wallet—where he keeps his savings and emergency money. The taller has told him to do exactly this a few times before in case he needed to. He makes a mental note to jot down the exact amount of money he grabbed complete with the receipts to not give the taller a heart attack the next time he inspects his savings.

He's stepping out of the apartment when he sees the pregnant girl from his previous work, Suyeon, standing in front of the door. 

"Hey." Minghao blinks. "What are you doing here? How'd you get here?"

"Hello Minghao, nice to see you again," Suyeon bows a bit. "Seokmin told me you're staying here, um, at your boyfriend's I presume?"

Minghao's eyes bulges. "He's not. Mingyu's not—"

Darker pink dusts her already pink cheeks as she waves her hand, guiltily. "Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to assume. Oh gosh. Did I make you uncomfortable? I probably did! I'm so sorry."

"That's fine. Uh, why don't you . . ." His eyes land on her belly. ". . . come in for a minute?"

"Oh. I won't be too long."

"No, I insist. Sit down for a bit."

He leads her inside and offers her a seat and some tea. She politely refuses the tea and asks for water instead. Suyeon looks extremely well with her cheeks full of life, a tint of pink on both cheeks. Pinker than they had been a few months ago, when she was just at the brink of losing everything, when she just lost everyone she ever cared for. Back when she had close to nothing. She's smiling genuinely now, it reaches the eyes. It's usually the universal sign of being okay.

"How are you?" Minghao asks, anyway.

"Great. Uh, I'm still there if that's what you’re asking but nothing's too hard on me there. I also signed up to this maternity package with all kinds of services before and after I give birth. I've been great and I, uh, I kinda got a boyfriend?" she chuckles shyly, probably not too sure if she should be telling this to him.

"That's good to know." He nods, meaning it. A good boyfriend might hold down one pillar for her. To keep her grounded. "From work?"

"Yeah." Suyeon blushes. "Um. Park Jimin."

"Ohh. That's good. At least I know he's not gonna bail on you when things get rough," Minghao comments. He _hopes_. He knows Jimin by name and face. He's a nice guy but honestly all he can really remember of him were his eye smiles and small hands. "So, what brings you here?"

"Actually I'm here to return the favor from a few months back," Suyeon says, still smiling. "I can't thank you enough really. And I can't sleep knowing I made you homeless."

Apparently, Seokmin has filled her in entirely. Minghao nods in understanding, maybe a bit embarrassed by the fact Suyeon knew he got kicked out from his apartment as well. Frankly, he can live on with his life without letting her know about it. "That's a lot of months of not getting any sleep. But you don't have to worry about me. I'm doing fine."

"I know but hear me out. You're gonna like this." Suyeon practically bounces in her seat. "I knew you still haven't found a part-time job yet, but there's a newly-opened convenience store nearby and maybe you'd like to work there? It's just around a corner from here. They're currently hiring."

Minghao blinks then slowly smiles. "Wait, really?"

"Yes!" she giggles. "I already bumped you up with a friend of mine there. All you have to do is go there personally, get a few things out of the way and then you get the job."

"That's great, Suyeon." Minghao says brightly, his chest bubbling with excitement.  _A job. Finally._  "Thank you. But you didn't have to go all the way up here to tell me that. You should've called me or something."

"I owe you a lot. It's the least I can do," Suyeon replies, rubbing her belly thoughtfully then grimacing. "Um, I guess you do have a point . . . but climbing up the stairs is kind of an exercise too, right?"

"Please don't wear yourself off too much."

"Never!" she laughs then straightens up in her seat. "Um. Listen I have one more thing to ask of you."

"Yeah?"

"If you'd like, uh. Um. I'm due next year, on February. Would you like to, uh, be Hwayoung's godfather?"

He sees the familiar pleading in her eyes but it comes with a twinkle. A grateful twinkle. As if she's saying a kind of thank you that transcends words and she's not the only one saying it.

"Hwayoung is a pretty name." He smiles, his chest squeezing. "Sure, Suyeon. I'll be there."

For the first time in the few months, Minghao thinks maybe things didn't really turn out bad for him. Then he thinks ending up under Mingyu's roof isn't so bad too.

 

 

 

 

"I found a job," he says to Mingyu that night on the couch while pigging out on some nutella Minghao bought from the trip to the grocery.

Mingyu looks at him. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." He nods. "See that convenient store just around the corner?"

The taller let his eyes wander to the ceiling in fierce concentration. "Wonwoo's and Jeonghan's?"

"Yeah, that. I got accepted."

"That's great." Mingyu nods enthusiastically. Not the reaction Minghao expects. "That's really great!"

"Yeah." Minghao looks down at his nutella-covered spoon. "You know what that means right?"

"Sure I do," he replies. "That means more bananas and more jars of Nutella for us."

Minghao looks at him weirdly and Mingyu stares back for a few moments before raising a questioning brow. "What? Isn't that what it means?"

"No."

"Think about it." Mingyu shrugs then reaches for another jar of nutella, opening it with an effortless twist. He does everything that way. Effortless. Except maybe when coaxing Minghao to eat some meals with him when the latter had already eaten out with one of his friends from uni. Minghao prides himself on making things extra difficult for Mingyu. Mostly."Should you really move out at all when we can split the cost around here like you first suggested? Be practical. You can save money for that skateboard you're eyeing back at the mall."

The hair on his nape rises slightly. "You . . ."

"I've seen you, okay? You're probably fantasizing about every time you space out," Mingyu points out. "Anyway, think hard. You can get your skateboard no problem if you stay here."

To Minghao's exhausted brain, it seems like Mingyu's giving him reasons not to move out at all. The racing in his chest isn't such a good indication that it's a good thing though. It shouldn't be a good thing at all, really. He feels like it shouldn't. It feels wrong. They're not friends, right? They shouldn't be too comfortable with each other. They shouldn't be _practical_. They should be itching to get each other out of each other's hair as soon as possible. They shouldn't be even _thinking_ about it. It isn't their way then, it shouldn't be now. It just isn't how Mingyu and Minghao works.

But fucking _of course_ , _Koreanus fucktardus_ Kim Mingyu doesn't share his sentiments. And with Minghao's personal fading regard for the warning alarms going off in his brain as the idea sits with him, he feels like he couldn't adapt these kinds sentiments as well. He's got plenty of reasons, too. First, Mingyu's right about the skateboard. The moment his eyes laid on the blue and black display, he's got the hots for it. It'll only cost him around one month's pay if his calculations were correct, which will take longer time if he'll have to allocate his pay. The skateboard will imminently take the backseat over the basic necessities and goodness knows how much longer will it take for him to save up enough for it with his nonexistent self-discipline when it comes to spending money for food. Not to mention the rent, clothing,  _more food . . ._

He couldn't find any more need to enumerate everything about how Mingyu's right. The first point is all the support he needs. 

"Think about the amount of pork bellies we can eat with both of salaries combined." Mingyu sighs dreamily, then licks the nutella from his spoon. "Right?"

Minghao swallows a lump in his throat and looks away. "Right. Exactly."

All the arguments he chose to listen from his brain is _"It's gonna be awesome"_  and anything less than that is shoved far away to the back of his mind.

"Unless, you really want to move out. I'm not stopping you," Mingyu says nonchalantly, his eyes trained on the screen. 

Minghao fights back to double take at him, and just stare for as long as he could to point out there is definitely something wrong about what he said. He couldn't just take it back suddenly, not after feeding Minghao the picture of all the pork bellies and the skateboard. He struggles to keep himself at bay, to keep his hands to himself that'll mindlessly fly to the next pretty neck they can latch themselves to just out of spite. A pointed stare wouldn't hurt but it will be unreasonable. Mingyu's merely laying out the facts because he also thinks he knows Minghao. He also thinks they're not meant to stay at one place for a long period of time. He also thinks this has got to end, despite how good those pork bellies, clean socks and warm beds may sound to the both of them. 

Minghao doesn't risk a glance as he trains his eyes defiantly on the screen before him. 

"Do you realize you're being passive-aggressive right now?"

"I mean I'll understand." He feels Mingyu shrug. "But that skateboard's awfully nice, don't you think?"

_Koreanus fucktardus._

"Yeah, yeah it is."

A pause.

"I'll move out soon," Minghao announces, stiffly. 

Mingyu nods just as stiffly. "Yeah. Sure."

 

 

 

 

Wonwoo's and Jeonghan's is the perfect place to work. First, it stands only a few blocks from the apartment. Second, Wonwoo turns out to be Jun's Wonwoo but doesn't turn out to be anything he imagines him to be: he's a bit strained in a lot of ways sure, but handsome in a surprisingly loud way. It's a given Jun always went for the outstanding lookers who knew they were, but Wonwoo isn't anything he had went for in the past. His lack for eye contact and modest smiles had said more than enough about Jun's choice. It's not a choice made by the eyes alone. He had seen something more behind those round specs that made him stick around for almost a year now, far longer than any of his previous relationships. Minghao had instantly taken a liking towards his employer with a newfound respect. Back then, Jeon Wonwoo was just an icon for Jun's gushy love declarations. Now, he's become the real thing in Minghao's eyes, someone who has tamed the wild Wen Junhui and who deserves every respect he can get. (Despite sounding very corny.)

Third, both he and Jeonghan, the convenient store's managers, didn't have any regard for his previous work experience. Apparently, Suyeon's is the only recommendation they ever needed so it doesn't take long for Minghao to be a part of their five-person working staff along with a kid named Lee Chan, a tall, pretty girl named Kim Minkyung and a Choi Seungcheol who looks like a personal trainer rather than a convenient store worker.

Seungcheol surprisingly blushes when Jeonghan points it out loudly for Minghao the first day they all started working together. "Yeah, it's another sideline of mine."

"And for that," Jeonghan says aloud. "you're in charge of the heavy stuff. We can't have Minghao or Wonwoo crumbling down on us, right?"

While the rest of the men huddle around the personal trainer in interest, Minghao caught Minkyung crinkling her nose in mild distaste. She catches him staring and she shrugs in answer. "Not a fan of muscles. I always prefer dancers with S-line bodies."

Minghao dances, but he doesn't say it. Minkyung is drop-dead gorgeous, by far one of the prettiest girls he's ever seen but it strangely doesn't seem right to showcase himself to a girl. Chan dances too. Minghao recognizes him from a few dance workshops he went to in the past, and the kid recognizes him as well, walking up straight to him with a bright smile on his face.

"You're a friend of Soonyoung hyung, right?" he asks him brightly. "The Chinese B-Boy Master!"

"I do b-boy, yeah. But I'm not a master. I'm Minghao."

"Aw come on, don't be so modest. I've seen you. Nice to meet you, Minghao hyung and I'm Chan! I'm currently in Soonyoung hyung's dance squad. Wanna see us perform this weekend at the mall?"

For the next few days, Minghao has taken the afternoon shift after he gets off from school and has worked the entire day during weekends. The store work picks up smoothly and quickly over the course of days thanks to the combined employees' versatile personalities and the employers' overall amiability. Soon enough, Minghao finds himself looking forward to his shifts. It's a somewhat pressing addition to his schedule, being catapulted from the school straight to the store, but he manages. 

Suyeon visits him whenever he's around, buying a few vitamins and snacks for herself. They've also been exchanging texts ever since, just casual "how are you's" and updates on each other and the baby.

"My apartment is just nearby. I recently moved in with Jimin," she says as Minghao sweeps her goods for appraising. He usually takes over in front the register whenever Suyeon comes in to chat with him for a bit, to which Wonwoo graciously allows as he steps aside. Minghao makes sure the chats don't stretch for too long, even though Wonwoo doesn't seem to mind with the usual stack of books beside him. 

"I don't mean to pry but is that . . ." Minkyung asks him as soon as Suyeon steps out of the store.

"Ah. No. That's a friend," Minghao says.

Minkyung looks relieved, for some reason. "I thought that was your wife and you guys are expecting a kid."

"No. Not really. I don't have a wife." Minghao laughs. "I don't have anyone, really."

"Oh?" she asks curiously. "Then who're you texting with a silly smile on your face?"

He narrows his eyes at her. "Huh?"

"You do this," Minkyung says then holds up an imaginary phone with both of her hands and giggles comically before straightening up. "while you text. And I find it hard to believe you don't have _anyone."_

"I do not."

Minkyung rolls her eyes. "Okay. Fine. I won't pry. Anyways, old man Jeonghan told me we all should go out for a drink this weekend. You can bring anyone along if you like. It's on the bosses."

She walks to the storage room with her hips swaying and her steps stomping. Minkyung is pretty but it doesn't look like she's particularly attracted to anyone here nor vice versa, given the caliber of everyone else's visuals. Either she already has a boyfriend or she's gay and had secretly made everyone aware of it without Minghao knowing. Either way, it's none of his business. Minghao should probably stop staring before anyone catches him and mistakes it for something else. He goes back to his moping while scanning his brain for any particular moment wherein he giggled like a teenage girl while texting. He definitely doesn't do that. Maybe Minkyung was just making fun of him? And for the record, the only people who he bothers texting would be Seokmin, Suyeon and Mingyu. Sometimes Jun, but it doesn't seem right. (He sends Minghao random selcas and duck faces, which goes straight to his trash folder. Not the kind of content that can make him _giggle,_ just no.) Nobody has said anything remotely funny to make him laugh or giggle except for all that memes and videos Mingyu sent him often . . . _oh._

Minghao shakes his head and rubs the floor harder with the mop.

 

 

 

 

If Minghao had been a delusional guy, he'd think Mingyu's beguiling him not to move out. 

But he isn't. And he knows very well Mingyu doesn't like him enough to keep him around longer than he should. He's positive Mingyu even  _hates_ him, probably more than he hates Mingyu. In his eyes, he's just that poor Chinese kid who got thrown over to Korea by his parents, who wets the bed back in high school and who's still pathetic even until today. He  _knows_ it, it shows by the way his appraising eyes sweep over him, it shows by the way he grimaces whenever Minghao retorts something of a stronger point than his during arguments and it shows by the way Mingyu says his name. With oozing hate. With an underlying threat. Condescending. 

 _Fuck._ Who is Minghao even trying to kid, himself? 

That's all true before the cupcakes.

It's the fucking cupcakes. Everything became so much more complicated when the chocolate cupcakes came into the picture. 

"They're for you," Mingyu replies coolly when Minghao asks him, as if his answer is the cure to cancer. As if he's saved the world with those three words. 

"Why would I want your cupcakes?" Minghao gapes at the picture-perfect box of it, each piece the size of his fist. 

He shrugs and for the first time, his words aren't insulting back. "Maybe you'd want to taste them?"

Minghao looks at him blankly, awaiting for some sort of explanation. Heck, a good-old Mingyu-nasty-look would've been more than welcome. It'll give him all the assurance he needs at the moment, but he didn't even glare at him or anything. He remains sitting there from across the room, arms folded with a soft expression on his face. 

 _Mingyu_ and  _soft_ aren't meant to be in one sentence. It's never been a  _yes_ before. Even when he's sick, he was still spiteful. He always had a way to crawl into Minghao's nerves with his very words, with his mere staring. The lack of it makes Minghao desperate and his stomach lurch silently. 

He knows how to deal with the spiteful Mingyu. Not this oddly calm one who doesn't even sound like the Mingyu he knew. It's like living in an alternate universe where  _hate for Minghao_ doesn't exist in his book. It's kind of a sinking feeling, where you want the old universe back and at the same time, you don't. 

"Are you serious?" 

"Yeah."

"You made them for me?"

It comes out smoothly out of Mingyu's lips. "Yeah."

"For me?" He even points at himself this time. "Xu Minghao?"

"Yup. They're for Xu Minghao," Mingyu answers patiently. 

Minghao's head spins. He's not really buying it. "What do you want?"

"What do I want?"

"Yeah," the Chinese replies. "Why'd you make them for me, what do you want in return?"

"Nothing," the baker answers, expression still set. "They're for you. I made them because I want to."

 _But why._ The words threaten their way past his lips but he seals them shut, fending off the awkwardness from conquering this situation entirely. But he wants to ask why. Why is he suddenly being so tame, so calm, so _soft_? What happened to the condescending tone of his voice? Why did he bake these cupcakes for him? Why did he even bother? Why _for him_? 

The answer scares Minghao as much as he wants to know so he shuts up, shuts the fridge gently and stays out the entire day. He goes back home (even that sounds wrong) after he's sure Mingyu had dozed off and he takes the couch, more adamant than ever to move out as soon as he can, before the atmosphere screws him up entirely and stops him from peeling himself off the alternate universe Kim Mingyu. Hopefully by tomorrow, the world will turn back to normal and Mingyu would be back to his normal easy-to-hate self just fine, making the cupcakes and the rest of his alternate universe Kim Mingyu antics some distant beautiful dreams he once had. 

Minghao wakes up feeling warmer than he was the night before and finds himself tucked snugly with a fresh, thick blanket draped all over his body instead of just his bomber jacket. He blinks his sleep away then groans loudly after it sunk in, arm over his face as he sneaks a treacherous smile behind it.

(Minghao lets himself be a delusional guy. Just for that day. He can fight these creeping feelings another time. But for now . . . )

 

 

  

 

He's on his lunch break when Suyeon visits him that day. She brings lunch packs for everyone else in the store, much to their delight. Jeonghan's especially, who looks like he's about to sweep her off her feet and carry her to paradise, pregnant or not.

"Su, if you do this everyday you might as well have VIP privileges everytime you buy here." Jeonghan beams at her, sniffing the rock fish stew in his hand. "Ah, can I marry you?"

"Apparently, you can't," Wonwoo says from the counter, turning to Suyeon. "Please don't tell me he charmed you into doing this."

"Oh, nobody has charmed me or anything. I just want to return the favor." Suyeon silently glances at Minghao. "You guys can dig in while it's hot."

"I envy whoever her boyfriend is," Minkyung whispers into Minghao's ear, moaning as she takes a sip of her soup. "I mean, I'd marry her too as much as I want to marry this stew."

Minghao laughs. "You're letting the gay talk, Minkyung. Hold it in."

He leaves her alone, moaning in her seat and grumbling at how unfair it is that everyone good are almost gone and walks over to Suyeon, smoothing her belly. "How's Hwayoung?"

"Ah, feisty. She's been kicking a lot lately. Wanna feel her?" 

Minghao beams and crouches down with a hand on it, planting his ear against the bump and waiting for any movement. He feels it ever so slightly, flesh shifting under Suyeon's maternal dress and he gasps softly, sliding his hand across to pat the spot near his ear. He looks up to the smiling Suyeon and grins wider. "She likes me, doesn't she?"

"Of course she does, you're her hero," Suyeon says with a soft smile.

He tries to look not too amazed at this, at the beauty of the very pregnancy and at Suyeon's beauty while on it. It's a pity her parents didn't get to see her like this, so glowing and so happy.

It's also a pity Minghao's parents didn't get to see him like this: somebody's hero. Somebody's something. Not some kid banished from China. Not some kid who's never meant to dance, never meant to _be_ in this world. 

Minghao swallows the bile rising up his throat because this isn't the time to be melodramatic. It's lunch time. Besides, he has long accepted the fact that they could never accept him for who he is. And so far, with everything that has happened in Minghao's life, he can't say he's too sad about how it turned out for him and his parents. He's happy now, with the people that do accept him for who he is. And all he can ask for.

He whispers something to the bump as he caresses it with care. His smile fades however, as his eyes land on someone standing outside the convenience store's glass doors. Kim Mingyu, sporting a blank look as he eyes Minghao's hand on Suyeon's belly.

As if burned, Minghao takes his hand off quickly and tentatively walks over to the doors, opening it as he organizes his expression. "Look who's here. I thought you're . . ." _At work._

Mingyu's face is still unnaturally hard as he holds a lunch box up. "Lunch."

"Wait . . . Is that for me?"

"Yeah."

As much as he likes to take his moment to digest that information, he wrestles the words out of his mouth. "Thanks, but you didn't have to," he says, taking the lunch box from Mingyu's hands.

The other's eyes shift behind him. "It seems so."

Slightly baffled, Minghao twirls around and finds his all of his co-workers' eyes on them, even Suyeon's. Except Minkyung's didn't sport the same shadow of confusion but of different knowing glint and she smiles. Minghao doesn't like how that smile horribly mirrors Seokmin's.

"Um. This is Kim Mingyu my, uh," he looks back at Mingyu and finds him staring back at him, expectantly. "roommate. And uh, friend."

"Hey Mingyu," Jeonghan greets monotonously, raising an acknowledging hand after an awkward second. The others chorused a greeting and Suyeon beams at him, stepping forward and holding out her hand.

"So you're Mingyu!" she chirps. "Thank you for taking Minghao in! You're godsend!"

"You're welcome?" The taller takes her hand doubtfully. "And you're?"

"Oh, I'm Ji Suyeon! Minghao's friend."

"Friend," Mingyu echoes then belatedly plasters a small smile. "Nice to meet you Suyeon."

Minghao nods enthusiastically and attempts a smile. It comes off as a grimace. Suyeon starts rambling about something but it's clear neither of the two is actually listening. Mingyu is nodding and smiling unmindfully but his eyes remain trained on Minghao. The smaller on the other hand, tries to look passive because there isn't any reason to panic in the first place. Yet he does, for some reason.

They both perk up in attention when Suyeon mentions "boyfriend".

"What?" Mingyu asks, his voice coming out normally and not as distant as he looks.

"I was just asking if Mingyu here has a girlfriend. Or boyfriend," Suyeon grins as if the three of them are already tight in just the span of a few minutes. "So do you?"

"Not really. I got enough problems in my space to deal with. If you know what I mean."

Minghao gets it so he frowns. Suyeon laughs. "Oh, I think you guys are doing well."

When Suyeon turns her back on them, Minghao tugs Mingyu closer. "What happened to the extra shifts?"

Mingyu's back to frowning with accusing eyes. "You didn't tell me you have a pregnant bestfriend."

"Yeah? Is that part of the leash description? I don't remember."

The taller's jaw tightens. He can tell he's holding back because they're in public. Minghao sighs. "She's the reason why I got fired. I took the blame for her expensive mistake, which cost me my job too. You know the rest."

Minghao doesn't know what to expect anything out of this sudden confession. But it feels right to explain, to fill his roommate in. It does look weird walking up to Minghao patting a pregnant lady's belly and smiling at her like he did. He owes him an explanation. Or does he really? Or is it just how he chooses to see it?

"You were right. Explaining is not in the leash description either," Mingyu retorts, but visibly loosening up.

"But you obviously needed it," Minghao says.

They hold gazes for a few seconds before Mingyu looks away. "If you knocked someone up, you should tell me."

"I'm not planning on knocking someone up. I wasn't . . ." He squints at him. "You're letting this bother you too much."

"I'm not bothered."

"Yeah, you are. Look," Minghao sighs. "Look. Suyeon is just a friend. She got knocked up by her shitty ex-boyfriend who bailed on her and I covered for her back then because she's in deeper shit above all the deep shit she's already in. Her parents abandoned her because of the kid. It's the least I can do."

He looks back at Suyeon, talking to the other guys. Minkyung takes the seat next to her and starts smoothing her belly with a smile. Seungcheol says something then the entire group laughs including Wonwoo all the way behind the counter while Seungcheol looks around, confused about the outburst.

He hears Mingyu hum beside him. "You done eating lunch?"

"No, because you came in just in time."

"You better eat it. I'm going back to the apartment."

Just as Mingyu turns around, Minghao pinches the back of his pullover to stop him. "Eat with me."

"I already did," the other replies, then looks over his shoulder. "I get it, alright? You don't have to . . . you get it."

Minghao nods. Not exactly why, but he gets it.

"Hey! Mingyu! Join us!" Jeonghan hollers from the table. Mingyu smiles at them.

"I already ate. You guys enjoy. Nice to meet you, by the way."

"Aye, why don't you join us for some drinks on the weekend?" Minkyung asks. "It's on the bosses."

"That's me and Wonwoo, right there," Jeonghan says, jabbing a thumb at Wonwoo. The bespectacled guy smiled and raised a hand. "I'm Jeonghan by the way. Co-owner."

"That's a great idea," Minghao notes, turning to the taller. "Come with me, then. It's just a few drinks."

Mingyu pauses thoughtfully and shrugs. "Alright. I'll go."

Minghao grins. The taller smiles back at him and walks through the double doors, bouncing a little in his steps. Minghao feels like skipping too, as he saunters over to the table but decides against it. Figures it's too risky with Minkyung's smirking eyes on him.

 

 

 

 

It went well. Jimin came along, projecting his gratitude to his incessant beams at Minghao. It was cold but it got considerably warmer after a few drinks with Mingyu sitting beside him. The coziness lingered even after Mingyu and him shared his enormous long coat on the way home, a steady hearth at the pit of his stomach as Mingyu smiles softly at him when he said _I bet you had a good time. You're smiling a lot_. Minghao hadn't mind sharing. He also hadn't mind smiling a lot. It looked like Mingyu didn't too. They both looked like they enjoyed it. And everything else. What's there to complain about? 

 

 

 

 

At the end of October, Minghao has saved enough for a new apartment. The weird thing is that, he wasn't even trying to. His pay was higher than expected, though he has his own suspicions at Suyeon and Jeonghan's conspiring whispers and discreet looks he caught them throwing his direction a few times. If Suyeon had really pulled some strings (which were surprisingly strong ones) for this, Minghao is very much obliged. It was unnecessary, but obliged. He does not bring up this concern to either of them however, taking into consideration the effort they've put into making this unknown to him. The situation sinks in a little while after, as Minghao stares at his wallet filled with wads of cash he doesn't expect to earn in such a short time and wonders if the folks back at the store had the same amount. The next thought dawns on him, stomach dropping as the unmistakable thickness and uniform color of the cash brandishes the fact that he had enough to move out. Minghao tries to reassess the amount with his eyes once more, not daring enough to find out exactly, and he bites his lip when even through eye-counting, he couldn't dodge the glaring amount he had in his hands. 

It's an expensive sign to move out already. 

Besides making a promise to himself to stand on his own when he can, his pride nudges him relentlessly that he's yet to fulfill the declaration he had made to Mingyu. 

_"I'll move out soon."_

_"Yeah. Sure."_

Minghao had already swallowed his pride a lot of times during the past few months and it's getting enraged at the constant shoving off. He had ignored it the first time he came to live with Mingyu because he didn't have a choice. He had ignored his pride when they laid on the same bed, despite the fact they shared a previous distasteful experience with sharing a bed and Minghao being the butt of the undying joke. There are more times where Minghao had to shove his tingling pride somewhere else to fit into this environment with Mingyu whom he always thought was a pain in the ass. He had learned to adapt, to accept, to hold his tongue and control his emotions from bursting all over the place because he needed to. Because as much as he hated to admit, he needed Kim Mingyu. 

Now, holding the money, he knows he doesn't anymore. 

He can move out now, find a new place to start all over again. He can finally have a bed to himself, space even, where he didn't have to worry about being messy when he's off of it. Where he didn't have to worry about laundry other than his own. Where he didn't have to worry about someone else coming home extremely late causing him to lie restless on the bed, alone and inexplicably bothered by the depth of the cold night and the lack of warmth beside him. Someplace else where he didn't have to shut his eyes so fast and pretend he's sleeping when the man in question finally tiptoes in and lies limply on the space next to him which is enough indication how tired he had been. An own space where he didn't have to worry about himself staring at the sleeping man beside him and thinking angrily of how idiotic he had been for taking up those extra shifts and adding more strain to himself.  

Somewhere else other than here where he can finally be free. Physically and emotionally. 

For Minghao knows, so long he's here eating those delicious homemade meals and washing his laundry with Mingyu's, the emotional tug-of-war inside of him will never be resolved and the long strings of what-ifs will never be silenced. The bed's metaphorical vines will cling to him so tight it'll make it extra harder to get up in the morning. The cupcakes will anchor him better to the apartment and tie him off to some imaginary pole, craving for more of it. That's not something that goes well with the plan he had set up for himself. 

Minghao had a plan. He needs to stick to it. 

So he does, and he makes sure Mingyu knows it. 

"I'll move out on Friday," he announces, polishing Mingyu's albums one by one with a cloth. 

"Sure," Mingyu deadpans as he refocuses on the flowers in front of him, fluffing the buds. "You need help moving?"

"Nah."

"Okay."

When Friday rolls around, it proves to be an easy move. First, Minghao had already packed everything the night before. And as Mingyu walks him to the door, he only carries the exact same things he carried the first time he stepped inside: his school backpack and his luggage of every belonging he had. 

Minghao dreads this exact moment, him standing in front of the door and Mingyu seeing him off. No matter how he tries to picture out scenarios this can go to, he couldn't predict which one is most likely and most suitable for the sort of relationship the both of them had. Mainly because he isn't exactly sure what to make of both of them. A hug would've been fitting for friends. (They're probably friends right?) But even after all these time, he couldn't even bring himself to stare at Mingyu's face for a whole minute, let alone initiate a hug that could escalate into a full-blown fist-fight in a blink of an eye because it's them. Minghao decides to play safe by clenching his fists around his stuff as he steps out, Mingyu stopping at the doorway and expression looking more guarded than usual.

"Um, thank you for letting me stay here for the past few months," Minghao says in an obviously forced chirp that should've sounded like Seokmin's. He fights off the urge to sprint away to the other direction and away from this place forever. 

"No problem. It wasn't the most enjoyable experience but . . ."

Minghao laughs sourly, the previous awkwardness melting into mild weariness. "A dick until the end I see."

"Oh, this isn't the end," Mingyu corrects, bobbing in his legs as he leans casually against the doorjamb. "I also wanted to thank you for the pleasure of your company. It still wasn't the most enjoyable experience but you tried."

"Oh, at least I did." the Chinese rolls his eyes. "Thank goodness I'm out of your hair, right?"

"Is that what you think?"

"That's the fact."

Mingyu shakes his head, studying him intently. "You don't know that."

"I know that. Ever since the beginning I knew."

"You think you're a burden around here." The taller purses his lips. "You're not."

"I am."

"No, not really. I mean," Mingyu reasons. "You do the laundry. You clean."

"Besides being a burden, I don't think I should be depending on someone else all the time," Minghao says. _Now, I'm very much dependent on you it's getting scary._

"What's wrong with that?"

Minghao looks up sharply. "We are _Mingyu and Minghao_. Depending on each other is wrong."

"Says who?"

The Chinese clenches his fists. _We did, remember?_ "It's . . . why don't you want me to move out?"

"I told you, you do the laundry and you clean. It doesn't hurt to have an extra hand at home."

Minghao rolls his eyes. "You need a maid."

". . . and to cook for somebody else. And bring home ice cream for to share with during _The Walking Dead_ marathons. It doesn't hurt."

The atmosphere radiates a fragile state so Minghao doesn't trust himself to speak. 

"It gets kinda lonely," Mingyu says softly, eyes downcast.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because the cupcakes didn't seem to work," the taller says exasperatedly. "I don't know what to make of you. I yell at you, you sneer back at me. I get mad, you get madder. But if I treat you nicely, you still shy away. You slip through my fingers. Look where that niceness lead to: you here, in front of my door. You're still leaving."

At this point, Minghao has abandoned any resistance to Mingyu's words, resulting to pursing his lips together, eyes bulging out of their sockets as he takes everything in. All the anger from him that he had never heard before. Frustration, somewhat bitterness embedded at every word he utters. Almost painful. 

Minghao doesn't speak when Mingyu grunts in front of him, displeased at the lack of reaction from him. 

"You know what, fine. Go. I don't care. I've been trying. God knows I have but it's just . . ." Mingyu sighs, shaking his head. "Just go, Minghao. You don't have to worry about everything else." 

Minghao steps half a beat faster, pulling the door shut just as Mingyu opens it with a loud slam. With bewildered eyes, Mingyu glares at him questioningly. 

"You expect me to let you off the hook that easily after what you said?" the smaller demands hotly, glaring just as hard. "I want direct answers. Don't get smart-ass with me and I absolutely do not want any hint of sarcasm in your voice. _Do you want me to leave or not?_ "

Mingyu narrows his eyes at him. "Shouldn't that be―"

" _No smart-ass answers!_ I want a simple yes or no."

"No."

"Why?"

Mingyu leans in, quickly yet precisely, claiming Minghao's lips in a soft kiss. Mingyu feels warm and his lips slow and unfairly smooth. Minghao goes rigid for the first few seconds before taking his first step into the beat, moving his own lips to Mingyu's lead. 

He breathes his air and sucks in feelings that weighed too heavy for words.  _Sweet. Mingyu's lips._  The kiss is all the answer he ever needs.

 

 

 

 

Minghao doesn't leave after that. The hand around his waist holds as tight as the other holds his luggage. 

"You don't have to move out."

"Okay."

"Because skateboard," the owner of those hands reasons. 

"And?"

"Skateboard and Minghao," Mingyu answers him with no trace of inhibition. "That way we both get what we want."

 

 

 

  

"Do you where I'm moving to?"

"No, where?"

"Next door."

Mingyu gapes at him. "You're kidding."

He chuckles. "Why would I?" 

"You . . ." Mingyu opens and shuts his mouth. ". . . faker. I thought you're moving somewhere far!"

"No, why would I? Next door's as available as ever. Plus I can afford the rent here."

The taller slaps his arm hard again and again. It wasn't even playful. Minghao cries, laughing at the continuous slapping. "Hey that's enough, ow!"

"What the hell are you thinking?!"

"I wanted to see your face when I pack all my things and then move in next door." He grins, eyes shining. "See? Priceless."

"Faker."

"You're just glad I'm not going anywhere away from you. Admit it."

"Ha."

A pause. 

They're sitting side by side on the couch now, staring at the TV's blank screen. Minghao can hear his chest warm throbbing and bubbling with affection for the man leaning against him. The hand still hasn't left him, now holding his hand tight instead of his luggage and waist. It feels nice. Mingyu feels nice, and this time Minghao doesn't resist. Doesn't want to resist anymore. He doesn't even bother himself over the fact the Alternate Universe Mingyu is slowly eclipsing the  _Koreanus fucktardus_ Mingyu he knew. He's got plenty of time getting used to that. He knows that now. He's not going anywhere. 

Minghao feels Mingyu's arms snake from behind his back, clutching softly at his side as a head rests against his. "Please don't do that again."

"You're such a big baby," Minghao whispers as he leans against him. "If I'd known you were like this, I wouldn't have wasted all those time fighting you. I could've just disappeared from your life to end it all."

"You can't do that because you subconsciously like me."

"That is false," Minghao objects. "I like you consciously."

A pause.

"Let's not be too cheesy."

"Agreed."

 

 

 

 

"Mingyu's my boyfriend now," Minghao tells Seokmin with a passive smile. It's not like he's practically broadcasting it to the world. He's actually being discreet about it, sending only his closest friends a text stating if they wanted to know he's got a boyfriend now and if they want to know who it is then they better show up at a certain place and time.

"That is brilliant," Mingyu had said. "Break it to them over a meal and watch them choke."

One of his earliest appointments is with Seokmin but he already knew Mingyu - his, well, bestfriend - and his busy schedule so Minghao sits alone in front of him, breaking the news as slowly as he can. 

In the form of bluntly saying, "Mingyu's my boyfriend now."

Minghao believes he's doing a good job at breaking it slowly.  

Seokmin's munching _karaage_ and despite being practically cornered with Minghao's announcement, he doesn't appear choking at the weight of it. "Yeah I know."

"How did you know? Gyu told you?"

The older of the two by a few months raises a finger, then swallows, lips shining with chicken grease. "The moment you stopped ranting about Mingyu to me, that's when I know, you're gone."

Minghao always hates how Seokmin is mostly right about everything. Seer-Mode and all. 

"Ah, but you didn't choke after hearing it," Minghao whines, messing his fringe with a devilish smile. 

"Are you planning to make me choke?!" Seokmin exclaims, horrified. "What has Mingyu done to you?!"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and that is a wrap! if it comes off as a dumpsite of errors, then it's your eyes. hah! no, that's my fault, i probably overlooked some of it. feel free to point out my errors! see you on the next installment to this series! 
> 
> edit: see you on the special chapter!! ...told in gyu's pov. yeah. i'm doing this to myself.


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